Bach Piano Music: The Beauty of Baroque Bach
piano pieces capture the heart of anyone who hears them. (By
the way, I wonder what Johann Sebastian Bach would think of
the Internet? Isn't it cool to think that the master of the
Baroque style of music would have an official page on
the World Wide Web?)
Anyway, Bach was born in 1685 in
Thuringia, which is a state in the nation of Germany. Both
of his parents died during the year that he was nine.
The whole family was musical. In those days people
belonged to "guilds" which designated what kind of work they
were to do. The Bachs
served as town musicians and cantors, who were men who led
the church worship chants and music.
Bach
lived with a brother until 1700, when he and a school chum
went to a Latin school for poor children. Here he learned
much about music, learned to play the organ, and became
quite good at it.
As he grew into a man, he held
positions as church organist in several towns around
Germany. Here is an interesting bit of trivia.
His complex musical stylings bothered the religious people
of the day.
That's curious! Now we hear
baroque music and think of it as rich and traditional, and
certainly nothing to which people in church could object.
Changing the worship music in a church always takes a bit of
a rebel or pioneer, but sacred music continues to grow and
change.
Be that as it may, Johann Sebastian continued
to develop as a musician and as a composer. Among the famous
pieces he wrote are many Bach piano pieces, and many other
pieces that have since been adapted for piano.
Some of the most familiar of his works are...
- Sheep May Safely Graze
- Jesu, Joy of Man's
Desiring
- Sleepers, Awake
- The Brandenburg
Concertos
- Toccata and Fugue in D Minor
-
Minuet in G from the Notebook for Anna Magdalena Bach
An overview of Bach piano music would not be complete
without a few words about the
Baroque style of music. This form of music was in
vogue from about 1600 to 1750. It followed the music
of the Renaissance, and preceded the style of classical
music known as "Romantic."
Baroque music is
characterized by a complexity of parts, counter melodies,
and harmony. Opera became a musical entity during the
Baroque period. If you've ever sung Handel's
Hallelujah Chorus in a Christmas concert, you know something
about counter melodies and the intricate arrangement of
different parts.
Baroque music has been found to stimulate the brain for
increased learning capabilities in children, particularly
when they are learning math skills.
It has
also been used for relaxation training with people of all
sorts, including those with mental handicaps.
If you
happen to be learning to play an instrument like the piano,
it is a given that you will be using some Bach piano music
in your lessons. Enjoy!
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